Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Bomb threats made to several schools kept police busy while the MainSource Bank in East Enterprise was robbed last Thursday, January 18.

According to information from Sgt. Noel Houze Jr. of the Indiana State Police, Versailles Post, the bomb threats were made at approximately 9:10 a.m. The calls went in to the Ohio County Communications Center in Rising Sun saying there were bombs in the Ohio County Elementary School and the Rising Sun High School and they would go off at noon. About ten minutes later, another bomb threat was called in to the Switzerland County Sheriff’s Department in Vevay, saying there were bombs in all three Switzerland County schools in Vevay.

Police immediately responded to the calls evacuating the students. They conducted searches at the facilities in question but no explosive devices or suspicious packages were located.

In the meantime, at about 10:40 a.m. the MainSource Bank in East Enterprise (Switzerland County) was robbed. The suspect was described as a heavy set male driving a black Ford Taurus with tinted windows.

Police would later find out the bank robbery and the bomb threats were related and Robert Lee Buchanan 44, was arrested at his home near East Enterprise. Police say he made the bomb threats to two school corporations forcing evacuations of five schools in two counties and then he robbed the bank.

Buchanan was arrested on Saturday, January 20 without incident and is being held at the Switzerland County Jail charged with the following crimes:

• Robbery With a Deadly Weapon, a Class B Felony
• Criminal Confinement With a Deadly Weapon, a Class B Felony
• Theft, a Class D Felony
• Intimidation With a Deadly Weapon, a Class C Felony, and
• False Reporting - Bomb Threat (3 counts) a Class D Felony.

It is likely that additional charges will be filed this week in Ohio County pertaining to the bomb threats made to the Rising Sun/Ohio County schools.

The cooperation and extensive investigation of many law enforcement agencies resulted in the quick arrest of Buchanan. Agencies involved included the Indiana State Police, Rising Sun and Vevay police departments, Ohio and Switzerland County Sheriff’s Departments; and the Kentucky State Police.